Back to stories list
Nko Ya Tlou
Indlovu Eyayithanda Izinto
Indlela Iindlovu Ezafumana Ngayo Imiboko Emide
Curious Baby Elephant
Judith Baker
Wiehan de Jager
Tseliso Masolane
The audio for this story is currently not available.
Regular PDFs (full-page)
Bilingual PDFs
Booklet PDFs (for printing)
E mong le e mong o a tseba hore tlou e na le nko e telele.
Siyazi ukuthi indlovu inomboko omude.
Sonke siyayazi into yokuba indlovu inomboko omde.
Everyone knows that the elephant has a very long nose.
Empa kgalekgale, nko ya tlou e ne e le kgutshwane e le tenya.
Emandulo umboko wendlovu wawumfishane. Wawubukeka kabi.
Kodwa kudala umboko wendlovu wawumfutshane kakhulu futhi utyebile okwesihlangu esibekwe ebusweni bayo. Wawuyimpumlo nje eqhelekileyo.
But a long time ago, the elephant’s nose was short and fat. Like a shoe in the middle of its face.
Tsatsi le leng ha tswalwa ledinyane la tlou. O ne a rata ho tseba ka dintho tse ngata. O ne a e na le potso ka phoofolo e nngwe le e nngwe.
Kwazalwa inkonyane eyayithanda izinto. Yayihlala inombuzo ngezinye izilwane.
Ngenye imini kwazalwa ithole lendlovu. Lalinomdla ngayo yonke into. Lalisoloko linombuzo kwisilwanyana ngasinye.
One day a baby elephant was born. She was curious about everything. She had a question for every animal.
O ne a rata ho tseba haholwanyane ka Thuhlo.
Yahlangana nendlulamithi. “Kungani unentamo ende?”
Lalilangazelela ukwazi ngendlulamthi. “Kutheni unomqala omde?” labuza kwindlulamthi.
She was curious about Giraffe. “Why do you have a long neck?” she asked.
O ne a batla ho tseba haholwanyane ka Tshukudu.
Ngakusasa yahlangana nobhejane. “Kungani unophondo olucijile?”
Lalilangazelela ukwazi ngomkhombe. “Kutheni uneempondo ezitsolo?” Labuza kumkhombe.
She was curious about Rhino. “Why does your horn have a sharp point?”
O ne a rata ho tseba haholwanyane ka Kubu.
Yaphinde yahlangana nemvubu. “Kungani unamehlo abomvu?”
Lalilangazelela ukwazi ngemvubu. “Kutheni unamehlo abomvu nje?” Labuza kwimvubu.
She was curious about Hippo. “Why do you have red eyes?” she asked.
O ne a boetse a batla ho tseba haholwanyane ka Kwena.
Ngoba yayithanda izinto, yafuna ukwazi ngengwenya. Ngabe ingwenya idlani ngesidlo sakusihlwa?
Kanti lalilangazelela KAKHULU ukwazi ngengwenya. ”Ingwenya itya ntoni ngesidlo sangokuhlwa?”
And she was VERY curious about Crocodile. “What does Crocodile eat for dinner?” she asked.
“O se ke wa botsa potso e jwalo!” ha rialo mmae. Yaba o a tsamaya, a swentse.
“Ungalokothi ubuze umbuzo onjalo!” kusho umama wayo. Yahamba inyukubele.
“Ungakulinge uphinde ubuze umbuzo onjalo!” watsho umama walo. Waze wahamba engatyhilekanga.
“Never ask a question like that!” said her mother. Then she walked off, frowning.
Ka potlako, Lekgwaba la fofela ho ledinyane la tlou. “Ntatele ho ya nokeng. Moo o tla bona hore na Kwena e jang bakeng sa dijo tsa mantsiboya.”
Ngokushesha igwababa landizela phansi, lahlala eduze kwendlovu. Lathi, “Ngilandele siye emfuleni, uzobona-ke ukuthi ingwenya idlani kusihlwa.”
Kodwa ngokukhawuleza kwafika uNomyayi owayekrelekrele wathi, “Ndilandele siye emlanjeni. Apho uza kutsho ubone ukuba ingwenya itya ntoni ngesopholo.”
Quickly Crow flew down to baby elephant. “Follow me to the river. There you will see what Crocodile eats for dinner,” squawked Crow.
Yaba ledinyane la tlou le sala Lekgwaba morao ho ya nokeng.
Nangempela indlovu yalandela igwababa.
Ngenene ithole lendlovu lalandela unomyayi ukuya emlanjeni.
So the baby elephant followed Crow down to the river.
A sutumetsa mahlaka a ba a ya ema lebopong. A sheba ka hara metsi. Kwena e ne e le kae?
Indlovu yazimpintsha yangena emhlangeni yama osebeni lomfula. Iphi ingwenya pho?
Lazinyanzela ezingcongolweni laze lema enyeleni yomlambo. Lajonga emanzini. Yayiphi ingwenya?
She pushed through the reeds and stood on the bank. She looked into the water. Where was Crocodile?
“Dumela,” ha rialo lejwe le pela lebopo la noka.
“Sawubona,” kusho itshe ngasosebeni lomfula. “Yebo,” kuphendula indlovu. “Ungangitshela ukuthi ingwenya idlani ngesidlo sakusihlwa?”
“Molo,” kwatsho ilitye elalingakwinyele yomlambo. “Ewe,” laphendula ithole lendlovu. “Ungandichazela ukuba ingwenya itya ntoni ngesopholo?”
“Hello,” said a stone near the river bank. “Hello,” said Baby Elephant. “Can you tell me what Crocodile eats for dinner?” she asked.
“Inama ke tla o bolella,” ha rialo lejwe. “Tlasenyanyana, tlasenyana,” ha rialo lejwe. Ledinyane la Tlou la inamela tlase, tlasenyana.
“Lalela-ke, goba ngizokutshela,” kuphendula itshe. “Goba futhi, futhi,” kuqhubeka itshe. Nangempela indlovu yehlela phansi yaze.”
“Goba uze ezantsi ndizokukuxelela,” laphendula ilitye. “Yehla, yehla, kwakhona.” Ngenene ithole lendlovu lagoba, lehla, laphinda lehla laze.
“Bend down and I will tell you,” said the stone. “Lower, lower,” said the stone. So Baby Elephant bent down lower, and lower.
Mme hang, “Qhau!” nko ya Ledinyane la Tlou e ne e tshwerwe ka hara mehlahare ya Kwena.
“Ngqi!” Ikhala layo lase lise mhlathini wengwenya. “Helele! Izodla wena ingwenya ngesidlo sakusihlwa!” kutswininiza igwababa.
“Xhakamfu!” Impumlo yethole lendlovu yabe sele isezindlathini zengwenya. “Ingwenya iza kutya wena ngesopholo!” Wakhala watsho unomyayi.
Then suddenly, “Snap!” Baby Elephant’s nose was caught in Crocodile’s jaws. “Crocodile will eat you for dinner!” squawked Crow, and flew away.
Ledinyane la Tlou la dula hodima maoto a lona a matla la hula. La hula, la hula, la hula.
Indlovu yazabalaza ngemilenze yayo yangemuva eqinile, yadonsa, yadonsa, yadonsa. Ingwenya ayizange iyidedele. Ikhala lendlovu ladonseka, ladonseka, ladonseka. Dalakaxa! Yawa yashayeka ngomhlane odakeni.
Ithole lendlovu laxhathisa ngemilenze yalo yangemva eqinileyo, latsala, latsala, latsala. Kodwa ingwenya ayatsho ukuliyeka.
Baby Elephant sat back on her strong legs and pulled. She pulled, and pulled. But Crocodile did not let go of her nose.
Nko ya Ledinyane la Tlou ya huleha, ya huleha, yaba ya huleha.
Tshobe ingwenya emanzini. “Ngaze ngaphuthelwa ukudla okumnandi!”
Impumlo yethole lendlovu yanwebeka, yanwebeka, yanwebeka laze. “Dudlu!” lawa labetheka ngomqolo.
Baby Elephant’s nose stretched, and stretched, and stretched. Then, “Thud!” she fell on her back.
Kwena ya teba hape ka metsing.
Indlovu yabheka umboko wayo. “Maye! Ikhala lami leli, elide kangaka?”
Ngokudikwa kukuphuncukwa sisidlo, ingwenya yatshona phantsi kwamazi.
Crocodile sunk back into the water. He was cross about losing his dinner.
Ledinyane la Tlou la sheba nko ya lona. E ne e hulehile e le telele haholo. Le ne le sa bone moo e fellang!
Lalilide kangangoba lalikwazi ukufinyelela emagatsheni aphezulu esihlahleni.
Ithole lendlovu lajonga impumlo yalo. Kodwa lalingakwazi ukubona apho yayiphela khona!
Baby Elephant looked at her nose. It was stretched very long. She could not see where it ended!
Nko ya lona e ne e le telele hoo le neng le kgona ho kgola tholwana makaleng a hodimo.
Indlovu kwayisiza lokhu. Yayisikwazi ukuzigeza umhlane wayo ngamanzi uma ilanga lishisa.
Impumlo yalo yayinde kangangokuba yayinokukwazi ukukha iziqhamo emasebeni aphezulu emithi.
Her nose was so long she could pick fruit from high branches.
Nko ya lona e ne e le telele hoo le neng le ka itshela ka metsi ka mokokotlong. Ho tloha tsatsing leo, ditlou kaofela tsa e ba le dinko tse telele.
Kusukela ngalelo langa, zonke izindlovu zinemiboko emide elusizo kuzona.
Impumlo yalo yayinde kangangokuba yayinokukwazi nokuhlamba umqolo walo ngamanzi. Ukusukela ngaloo mini, zonke iindlovu zaba nemiboko emide eluncedo.
Her nose was so long she could shower her back with water. From that day, all elephants had long and useful trunks.
Written by: Judith Baker
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Tseliso Masolane
